Best Western Victoria Palace

I stayed in room 503 and had a very distressing experience. On the first day I noticed a strong insect spray smell, which I assumed was part of normal cleaning or maintenance. Later, I was bitten by a bed bug. I found it in the bed, crushed it with a tissue, and saw that it was full of blood. I took the tissue straight to reception and showed the staff member on duty. The staff were polite, and the hotel gave me a full refund, which I appreciate. But I left immediately and had to find another London hotel without a reservation. I also had all my clothes and belongings professionally cleaned to avoid possibly taking an infestation home. This completely disrupted and ruined my vacation. Even if a hotel looks clean and its staff are kind, a bed bug incident is a serious problem for guests, not a minor inconvenience. I sincerely hope management thoroughly inspects and treats the room before assigning it to anyone else. Despite the refund, this had a major negative effect on my trip.

The buffet breakfast was very good, and the staff were friendly and efficient. The rooms are small, so don't expect much space, but if you just need somewhere to sleep and shower, it's clean, comfortable, and convenient. Victoria Underground is five minutes away, and the West End is a five-minute walk. There are great little pubs and places to eat nearby. I was keen enough to walk to Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, and Parliament in about 20 minutes.

For a quick stay, this was decent value, with a friendly front desk, clean rooms, basic amenities, and modern charging. Breakfast is reasonably priced for London, and honestly I don't have much else to complain about. Our basement room was a little cold, especially the bathroom, which was freezing, but we managed.

The receptionist personally showed us to our room. It was neat, spacious, and nicely furnished, with the world's best shower, I'd steal it if I could, omg. It was warm without getting too hot, just right for winter.